Zhu Lin Transforms into a Breakfast Delivery Rider, Accused of Targeting the Championship; Wang Xinyu Shockingly Defeated, Fans Cry Out That Her First Title Dream Is Shattered

After Zhu Lin’s dominant showing in Brisbane, this fourth seed is seen by many as the absolute frontrunner for the championship, clearly having targeted this title well in advance.

After the Australian Open concluded, Zhu Lin opted for a participation route that differed from other Chinese stars, foregoing the tour circuit and dropping down to compete in the Brisbane 75-level event.

At that time, many found it hard to understand, thinking that playing in such a lower-tier event neither showcased Zhu Lin’s true ability nor provided the intensity needed; they believed it would be better to compete in tour-level tournaments like Wang Xinyu or Yuan Yue, since even if they didn’t advance far, earning points and prize money from early rounds would surpass what this challenger event offered.

However, it was soon pointed out that Zhu Lin’s decision to diverge from the other Chinese players was probably out of necessity. Her performances from the United Cup to the Australian Open were poor, accumulating only 50 points in total. Given this form, even if she played tour events, she would have to start from qualifiers with uncertain outcomes. Lowering the level of competition might help boost her confidence, and if she performs well, winning a title would be a bonus.

Considering Zhu Lin’s solid skill set, many speculate that as long as she doesn’t falter, her chances of claiming a title at this lower-tier event are quite high.

Specifically, Zhu Lin’s performance at the Brisbane Challenger clearly outclassed many others. After narrowly defeating local player Mitchich 6-4, 6-4 in the first round, she then showed everyone how fierce she could be in lower-level tournaments by dominating Japan’s Kyoka Okamura in the second round with her form fully on point and relentless drive.

As one netizen put it, they had heard about “handling soft opponents” before but never truly understood it until watching Zhu Lin’s match against the Japanese player, which revealed the real meaning behind the phrase.

Zhu Lin essentially turned into a breakfast delivery rider, sending Kyoka Okamura home empty-handed with a “duck egg” scoreline, playing with ruthless aggression and an overwhelmingly dominant style.

After the match, many commented that Zhu Lin showed some mercy; given that she blanked Okamura in the first set and stunned her completely, she could have easily delivered a second bagel in the next set to create a bloodbath in Brisbane, but instead allowed her opponent to win a game, “showing leniency to this old friend from eight years ago and giving the Japanese player a last shred of dignity.”

With such a terrifying form displayed upon reaching the quarterfinals, fans and netizens joked about the Chinese players, saying no wonder Zhu Lin prefers not to join others on the tour—she seems intent on proving her strength by aiming to win a title here, fine-tuning her form for upcoming higher-level events.

In the quarterfinals, Zhu Lin will face another Japanese player, the eighth seed Sakura Saito. If Zhu Lin wins this tournament, her current world ranking will rise to 135, bringing her closer to re-entering the top 100.

After Zhu Lin’s inspiring victory, it was expected that Wang Xinyu, competing in Cluj, would respond with a strong win to raise the excitement even more, but unexpectedly she was defeated 6-4, 6-4 by the powerful Ukrainian player Olijnikova.

When Wang Xinyu lost, fans and netizens expressed regret, feeling that her dream of winning her first career title was once again crushed—just sooner than expected this time.

In fact, Wang Xinyu had a real chance to win in straight sets against Olijnikova but failed to seize the opportunity due to poor form and too many errors.

In the fifth game of the first set, Wang Xinyu pressured the Ukrainian fierce competitor with three break points but wasted them all and was eventually broken herself, losing the set 4-6.

At the start of the second set, Wang Xinyu initially broke serve but couldn’t maintain the advantage, and just like the first set, she was broken at a crucial moment by Olijnikova, losing 4-6 and thus conceding the match.

After Wang Xinyu’s loss, some fans commented that although her bid for a first title was once again delayed, there was a silver lining: she wouldn’t have to withdraw from doubles and could now fully focus on doubles competition. If she and Zheng Saisai reach the final and win the doubles title, it would be a great consolation.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlight River’s Starry Sky)